London - Glencore Xstrata's PASAR copper smelter and refinery in the Philippines has sustained “heavy structural damage” after one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, typhoon Haiyan, battered the country and left an estimated 10,000 people dead.
PASAR said in a statement it was currently inspecting its facilities and assessing the impact.
“Initial assessments confirm that PASAR has sustained heavy structural damage to its operations,” it said, estimating a return to normal operations could take at least 4 to 6 weeks.
The PASAR plant, majority owned by Glencore, is in Leyte province, southeast of Manila. It was closed after a fire last year, which stopped production for about six months, and then restarted in July 2012. - Reuters